


Captain

by Rei_the_Rat



Series: 10 Days of LawLu 2018 [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Fluff, M/M, heart to heart talk, moment of doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 12:54:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14811773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rei_the_Rat/pseuds/Rei_the_Rat
Summary: “Am I a bad captain?”A quiet moment between captains, doubts healed and promises forged.





	Captain

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks [Shishiswordsman](http://shishiswordsman.tumblr.com/) for being an awesome and supportive Beta  
> ~[Rei-the-Rat](https://rei-the-rat.tumblr.com/)

It took a few days for Law to get Luffy alone. After he returned from Whole Cake Island with Sanji, celebrations were held and plans were laid out. But Law noticed something was off about the young captain. There was coldness to his gaze when he was alone and the constant chatter had toned down just enough to be noticeable. It was unsettling, and so Law pulled Luffy off to the side one evening.

“We need to talk.”

The confusion in Luffy’s eyes was replaced with a seriousness. He nodded and followed Law away from the group gathered after dinner. “What is it?” He asked once they were far enough away.

“That’s what I want to know.” Law replied. He held open the door to his room for Luffy. “You’ve been… different.”

Luffy looked over his shoulder at Law while he closed and locked the door. “I’m not…”

“No? You’re quiet and withdrawing from social encounters.” Law set Kikoku aside and removed his hat. “Something is on your mind. So I’m here to listen.”

Luffy frowned but didn’t refute Law’s words. “Right, because we’re allies. You don’t want me messing-”

“We’re friends.” Law corrected. “Or does that not hold true anymore?”

A sigh left Luffy. He let his shoulders fall into a slump and dropped on to Law’s bed. “We are. Sorry.”

Seeing Luffy like this was unusual, but at the same time familiar to what Law witnessed after the war. This wasn’t the same brand of pain, but there was a numbing emptiness creeping into Luffy. “I’m here for you.” Law hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but Luffy looked up at the words, his expression a little softer. “You don’t have to tell me, but I want it to be clear that I’m always going to be here for you.”

There were a thousand questions between them, asked and answered in their gazes.

What about the alliance?

Until Kaidou is defeated.

And then? Will we still be allies or will we be rivals?

We’ve always been rivals. But now we’re more. We can make a new alliance.

You’ll always be there?

You’re always there too.

Do you trust me?

Yes. Now more than ever.

Law looked away first. Luffy’s eyes were dark and intense, something he once described Law’s own eyes as being. And if Law had thought about it before, he would’ve said that Luffy’s eyes are soft but bright. They were supposed to be warm, not cold like his.

“Am I a bad captain?”

It took Law a moment to register what he had heard. Slotting the uncertainty in Luffy’s voice together with the confident and brash pirate Law knew was hard, almost disorienting. It felt like the room was swaying and the blood rushed to his brain. He closed his eyes and shook his head a little. “What?”

“It’s just…” Luffy leaned back on Law’s bed. “This happens. Someone leaves the crew and I have to go and get them.”

Law’s brow furrowed. “Sanji leaving was beyond your control just as much as his.”

“I know that.” Luffy let his arms go slack and fell back completely. “And Robin and Nami too. But Usopp was all my fault because I’m bad at words.”

This had happened three times before? That was almost half the Straw Hats. Law could see where the idea had budded and formed. “If the situation was beyond your control, then why would it be your fault? Why would you be a bad captain because of it?”

“Usopp was my fault. And we fought about it. And we lost Merry.” Luffy’s voice grew quiet. “Nami didn’t tell us, but we didn’t know her very well at the time. And Robin was the same. And because of the World Government, she didn’t want anyone to get hurt. But…” Luffy sighed. “Sanji was one of the first members of the crew. He came from the East Blue, we went over Reverse Mountain together. But he never told us…”

Law’s tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth as he thought. He didn’t know all the details to each of the these incidents. He didn’t know Usopp and Nami had once left the crew. He knew Merry was their first ship and that they had lost her, but not more than that.

“Didn’t Sanji want to forget his past? He thought he had cut ties with them. They wanted nothing to do with him, just the same as he did.” Law said. “I don’t know all the details, and I don’t need to. But if I were to ask Sanji right now about his family, ask him who his family was, he would tell me it’s the Straw Hats and a restaurant in the East Blue. I know this because I’ve had this conversation with him before. Just like Robin has told me about the incident at Enies Lobby. You didn’t give up on her. That’s not something a bad captain would do.” He stopped and waited for Luffy to process what he had said.

Luffy’s fingers flexed along the blanket under him, gripping the fabric and releasing it. He stared at the ceiling, thankful for it’s blank countenance. Law’s voice was always even and calming to him. He should’ve come to him sooner. But it hadn’t seemed like such a big deal. Sanji was back, and they were ok. “I trust them.”

“And? Do you believe they trust you?”

“Yeah…” Luffy rolled on to his side, surprised when he was faced with the pillows and wall instead of Law by the door. But he didn’t roll back over to the otherside. Instead he reached out for one of Law’s pillows and brought it close. “We’re friends?”

“You have to ask?”

“Just friends?” Luffy heard Law’s footsteps, slow and careful, as he came closer.

“No.”

“You’ll tell me if you need help instead of leaving, right?”

Law chuckled. “I tried to do that, and you told me no. Just like you do to everyone else.”

“Except Usopp…”

Law gently kicked Luffy’s shin. “So you have one person who left. And came back. That cancels out and you’re back at zero.” He let out a sigh. “It’s not like you’ve told me everything either. You probably know more about me than I do of you. These things happen, whether we want them to or not. It’s how you deal with them that matters. And every one of your crew mates respects and trusts you. That should answer your question.”

Luffy rolled on to his back. “I know… This is why I don’t like thinking.”

“Oh really? Could’ve fooled me.” Law sat down on the bed behind Luffy. “In all seriousness though, each crew is unique as any other. You deal with things in your own way. Do you think you've failed them as captain?”

“A few times…” Luffy admitted.

“But they’re still with you.”

“Because I learned from those mistakes.” Luffy tried to roll on to his back but was stopped by how close Law was. He looked up at Law, meeting his gaze for a moment before closing his eyes. “I got stronger in that way.”

“Then it’s just like anything else.”

Luffy sighed. “Yeah. You’re smart Torao.” He blinked his eyes open again as he thought of something. “How long have you been a captain?”

“Hm well,” Law looked up at the ceiling as he thought back on it. “The Heart Pirates were formed shortly before my fourteenth birthday, but we didn’t actually set out to sea until almost a year later. So about twelve or thirteen years.”

“What,” Luffy’s eyes widened. “That’s awesome. No wonder you know so much, Torao.” He pushed himself up so Law could slide back on the bed and lay next to him. Once he put the pillow back, Luffy laid with his head on it facing Law. “I sometimes forget how much older than me you are.”

Law snorted a small laugh. “How flattering of you.”

“Don’t make fun of me.” Luffy pressed close to Law’s chest. He mumbled something that sounded a little like an apology to no one.

With a small smile, Law soothed his hand up and down Luffy’s back. “It’s ok. We know thinking is not your favorite thing to do. But you’re still young, and you’re smart in your own way. We love you, and we’re here for you.” It wasn’t often Law spoke for others, but he was sure that these thoughts were shared with the Straw Hat pirates and to some extension his own crew. They did seem to adore Luffy just on principle, but the young future king had that effect on people.

“Love you too…” Luffy nodded, and when he looked up to meet Law’s eyes, they shone with confidence again. “I’ll get stronger, and I’ll be a better captain.”

Law kissed the top of his head. “I know you will.”


End file.
